Hi TCR...really thanks a lot for helping !!!:)
i'm sure i'm gonna do the exercises and they should be very helpful ...!!!
and about the Aircraft's information, you're right!!in fact i had already realised to learn those informations...i just wanted to make sure if they were really important or not!!

Anyway really thanks...
:ok:

Hey TCR,

Would you be able to give few examples of the difficult type of s/d/t or anything they ask at stage 1, please? It's just that I have been practising from that website too and I have also been taking there questions as templates and producing my own ones but I am still not sure about the difficulty. Apart from this , my main worry is the cubes :'(.

N

hey, first post here!
Going for my first try at stage 1 at Prestwick on the 8th of April.

I just have one question interpreting the document NATS gives us:

"The Aerodrome Controller will either instruct the plane to land, or continue approach if there is traffic occupying the runway having just landed or waiting to depart."

Isn't it the same thing? I mean, in order for a plane to land it has to continue approaching, and if the runway is not free, shouldn't the aircraft go around?
Or the instruction to land is to accelerate until it lands and the approach is to maintain speed?

thanks in advance. Cheers*

The way I read it is that they instruct pilots it is ok to continue the approach however landing clearance hasn't been given.

The plane given the instructions could still be some way out from actually landing and so the runway could still be occupied whilst the approach is being carried out. Yet the last plane to have landed, or next plane to take off may still be on the runway, so an actual clearence to land couldn't really be given.

On approach there are three (or acctually four) scenarios.
1. No traffic ahead, the runway is free.
Landing clearance is given.

2. There is traffic ahead but it is separated and it is deemed that the runway will be free at the very latest when the arriving traffic passes the threshold.
This is when the aircraft is instructed to continue approach and it means just that, descend the ILS at approach speed and await landing clearance (if it's not given in time the captain or the ATCO can take a decision to go to the next option).

3. The runway is not free and will not be free in time for the aircraft to land.
Go around instruction is given

There is how ever a foruth option

4. The runway isn't free but during certain circumstances (defined in the MATS part 2 if I remember correctly) a "land after" procedure can be used.
In this case responsibility is transferred to the PIC of the landing aircraft and if (s)he deems it safe the aircraft can land even though the runway is still occupied.


So even though the runway is occupied the aircraft doesn't have to go around, simply because when it arrives the runway will be free (traffic ahead having vacated or departed), in these cases the instruction to continue approach is given.


Now I'm going to sleep :p

Air traffic control handbook by David smith?

nice, thank you ;)

Stage 1 times in April
 

Has anyone else noticed that the start/end time for their Stage 1 has changed a couple of times since first booking it?

I booked my stage 1 for 15th April at 10am back in February and received an email reminder last week stating start time was now 9am.

Today I have had a look on the test date schedule (following the link from the initial confirmation email) and it now says start time is 8am.

Not a huge issue as I am staying in a nearby hotel the night before (luckily), but if it gets changed again to an even earlier time I think I could struggle with the tests as my brain will still be asleep!

Does anyone know if this is normal for NATS to keep changing the start time or has anyone else experienced this?

Same has happened here aswell, I was booked on 15/04/11 @ 13:30. Sent NATS HR an email for clarification.

I hadn't noticed the time on the interview schedule page until you mentioned it, but that is also an hour earlier than the reminder email time.

If all else fails I suppose best and safest bet is turn up for the earliest time listed :)

hey,

in my case, when I chose the schedule the time was in the BST (summer time) already, and now in the mail they sent me reminding it was GMT. But nothing better than sending them an email a few days before to confirm;)

*

Hey!
@TCR, hope to see you for a morning coffee on 15th April! I have the same date and hour as you. I will write email to HR for confirmation 0900 BST.
Cheers

Is there scrap paper/working out paper available throughout for the numeracy test at Stage 1?

Roll on 8th April... :ok:

Anyone due at Swanwick on the 21/4?

Hi everyone,

Thought I'd join the fun and post my experiences here.

I've just done the online initial questionnaire followed by the online test. It seemed to go okay. I was achieving 4/5 on the harder parts of the practice test. No email yet, but fingers crossed! Good luck to anyone else who's applying.

I have my stage 3 in about a week. Any last minute tips from anyone who has attended recently?

Can't help on any last minute tips, just wanted to say good luck for your Stage 3 hatemyjob!

For anyone who's in the early stages and about to do the first online computer test - I could not find much info before I did mine, so here is my experience.

You are given a string of either numbers or letters. You are also given a list of five similar strings. for example:

AGRHULSR

and

AGRHUHSR
GARHULSR
AGRHULRS
AGRHUSLR
AGRHULSR

You have to select the matching string from the list.
There is only one correct answer for each go.
There are 5 rounds of 5 "questions" each.
On the first round you get 9 seconds per question.
This reduces to 5 seconds on the 5th round.

You get to practise as much as you like before you go "live", although I think the practise test had the same questions each time I did it. I recommend experimenting with screen resolution before you go live. Make sure you can read the questions quickly and comfortably as speed is important. Hope this helps quell some fears! I'm still waiting for my results.

Alpha

hatemyjob:
Are you at Bournemouth on the 28th? And I take it you've managed to visit a unit? GOOD LUCK!!! :ok:

Yes I am. I visited gatwick tower last week and I'm at swanwick right now.

Are you going on the 28th?

And you're spending time on PPrune? :}

This otherwise worthless post also gives me the chance to say,

good luck!:ok:

Haha. Thanks.

I turned up 45 minutes early so I was bored sat in the car park.

@Tim91 - I hope so!

My experience for the online test was that like mentioned by AlphaSierra, you get a sequence of letters/numbers then 5 or so more options and you have to choose the right one from it. I was scoring 23/25 on the practice goes but obviously was never told what I got in the real one.

I was emailed by NATS the following morning telling me I had passed and needed to book my Stage 1 date. The dates only went up to the end of June and I told replied saying that I wouldn't be available until July at the earliest due to final year University commitments. They replied informing me they had put my application on hold and that whenever I was ready to book, to contact them and get the ball rolling.

So I am hoping that the July dates come out soon, I shall be booking mine for Prestwick early July if possible. Good luck everyone else regardless of which stage you are at. It is truly a dream job that I have always wanted to pursue.

hi all,
Am new to this site, I applied to NATS and have been invited for 1st interview.
I don't finish uni until June 2012, but currently there are no available dates to attend the interview and new ones wont be posted until late may.

Does anyone know if I will be able to attend all interviews and tests (if I pass) this year,
and the defer my start of course date until 2012 when I complete my masters?

Many Thanks

I emailed HR asking about my online test result. They are saying that their records show that I haven't completed the test yet. Not sure what's happened there!

Hi everyone, I'm new.

I have one question which I'd appreciate being answered. Once training is complete what are the chances of being able to move to another country and continue working as an ATC? Straight after training, after a few years or ever? A big plus of becoming an ATC is that it can be used in any part of the World.

Thanks:)

lkrd - It would probably have been more benificial for you to apply once your masters was complete....however in my opinion if you get accepted on to an air traffic control course, why would you need a masters? Is it not a career for life?

I'm sure an e-mail to HR will answer your question anyway - I have read on here before they seem to be pretty lienent with dates. You might get lucky, however like I say - if I'm allocated a course,I'd drop everything to get started right away...no delays.

Hey Tim91!

I see you are going for stage 1 on April 8th..me too!:)
How you getting on with your preparation?

Afternoon All, 1st post on here

Just been accepted to Stage 1 of NATS, got the test at the end of June so should give me enough time to prepare won't it? If not then if I email them would I be able to cancel the test and move it to a later date?

anyway, I have looked at the 25 page doc, currently learning it, an hour a day on that, and then looking at the cube test and the diagramming, doing 30mins a day on them, and then the s/d/t, currently learning them as well, is that enough to do a day? i'm really nervous about it but I want to get in because Aviation is my passion :cool:

also if you have any books or websites you could recommend that would be great :)

Thanks

Mr Blue 92:
Today is my first day on pprune too. I am going for my stage 1 on April 8th and your preparation sounds exactly the same as what i'm doing. Once you've learned. all the info in the 25page document it will stick in your brain, trust me! You just need to keep refreshing what you've learned and make sure you look at it every day. I am currently doing the cubes, diagramming and S/D/T calculations and also purchased the feasttest preparation tool. FEAST Test Preparation Tool - Feasttest.com It was around 25euros but I've found it really helpful.
This is also a link I have found useful for S/D/T Speed Distance Time | OASC: RAF Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre

Hope this helps and good luck in June!

Not posted on here in a while, just thought I'd tell you all that my Stage 3 is on Thursday.

Massive commiserations to sambatc. Hope you get the job next year.

I'm currently thinking of a million different scenarios to discuss about when I've used teamwork etc.

A little bit nervous, possibly an understatement. I want this job more than anything, so I'm just hoping that my abilities are evident in the interview.

Wish me luck, guys!

Im with you there.

Mine is on Monday.

math
 

I'm starting to despair with the difficulty of the maths regarding stage 1. How hard are the problems?? I keep finding different types of S/D/T problems which I am not familiar with and all sorts of arduousness. Is anybody capable of telling me if, for instance, the problems copied below are more difficult than the ones in the real test or if easier??. Thankss loadss!, I'm in complete despair..

A cargo plane flew to the manteinance facility and back. It took one hour less time to get there than it did to get back. The average speed on the trip was 220 mph. The average speed on the way back was 200 mph. How many hours did the trip there take? (SOL: 10 hours).

Aircraft A left airport and flew south. Aircraft B left three hours later flying at 42mph faster in effort to catch up to A. After two hours B finally caught up. Find A's average speed. (SOL: 28mph)

Plane B left Chicago flying due east at a speed of 400 mph. Plane A left Chicago 2 hours later, flying in the same direction at a speed of 600 mph. If plane A is 400 miles behind plane B now, how long has plane B traveled? (SOL 4h)

Please anybody that remembers post a replyyy... I will be most grateful. Thankssss!!!

P.s: Loads of luck to hatemyjob and KirtjE!!!!.. Hope you get through!!!!

Cheers luisjuan :)

I know I'm good enough to do the job, I just hope I don't make a fool of myself in the interview!!

@KirtjE
@hatemyjob

I'll be joining you in Bournemouth tomorrow for stage 3. *bit* nervous too.

Hi Guys, Brand new here!!

I did my online test on Thursday (24th March). But I still havent had an email about the results?

Is this normal to wait 4 days for the results of the online test?

If you don't get a reply within a weeks time you ought to get in touch with them...

ATC wannabe, also I don't think they work over the weekend, so if they didn't get back to you on Friday, there is a chance you may hear something tomorrow, or early this week.

Thanks guys,

No email again this morning but I'll check again later.

Tell you what, I am having serious problems getting Aircraft specs stuck in my head!

Just under 3 weeks to go to stage one and am getting quite excited. Just a tad worried about the maths section.

Anyways, day off work today, so going to bang in a few hours with the flash cards lol